Plethora of high-rises causing Ha Noi's traffic jams

Update:
October, 15/2015 - 10:08

|

Linh Dam urban Area in Hoang mai District, Ha Noi. Experts have warned that the increased number of high-rise building in recent years is exerting pressure on the capital's overloaded road infrastructure. — Photo chungcuvp5.vn

HA NOI (VNS) — Experts have warned that the increased number of high-rise building in recent years is exerting pressure on the capital's overloaded road infrastructure.

Recent years, a number of high-rises with 40 floors have been built in the south-west area of Linh Dam urban area in Hoang Mai District, south of downtown, leading to a massive increase of people residing in the area. However, the road infrastructure has not been improved for years, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

According to local residents, as a consequence of increased population, traffic jams have occurred frequently at the Giai Phong-Nguyen Huu Tho junction of Hoang Mai District, especially at the stretch leading to Nguyen Huu Tho Street.

The situation is also a problem in other urban areas, such as Dinh Cong and Dai Kim.

The only streets leading to these areas, such as Dinh Cong, Dai Tu, Tran Dien are frequently congested.

Besides, many high-rises have been built in the areas where factories were previously located.

This violates the Decision No130/QD-TTg on the relocation of offices, units and factories causing pollution in Ha Noi's 11 inner districts.

The decision was issued on January 23, 2015 by the prime minister in order to reduce congestion in Ha Noi.

After Thang Long Garment Joint Stock Company was relocated from the land spot number 250 in Minh Khai Street of Hai Ba Trung District, three high-rise buildings have been built at the spot, of which two have been completed and the other is under construction.

A 2.6 hectare- land spot number 1, Phung Chi Kien Street, Cau Giay District was used to build a complex of two luxury apartment buildings with 23 floors and 29 floors, a 14-floor trade centre and many other adjacent buildings. Prior to that, Trang An Joint Stock Company was removed from that land spot to Quoc Oai, on the outskirts of Ha Noi.

Many developers have also been reportedly building more floors than permitted.

Apartment BMM in Phuc La Ward of Ha Dong District is an example.

According to residents, there are only 30 floors displayed in the elevators, the same with the number of floors permitted. However, the building actually has 32 floors.

Urban planning

Deputy Head of Ha Noi Urban Planning and Association Dao Ngoc Nghiem said that despite the city's efforts, its urban planning system still had shortcomings. For example, traffic infrastructure planning had yet to meet the objective of reducing the number of residents and expanding roads as put forward in the city's construction planning. Strong penalties were needed to ensure the quality of urban planning.

"The master urban planning plan adopted by the prime minister clearly states that flower gardens, parks, parking lots, cultural and public facilities should be given priority to be built in land spots where industrial facilities, factories, hospitals have been removed," Nghiem said.

"To most developers, their own benefits are more important than the public's. However, the city's penalties have not been strong enough to tackle the problem," he added.

Sharing Nghiem's opinion, Do Viet Chien, Head of the Urban Development Agency said that there were many problems in the city's urban planning and construction implementation.

"The balance between traffic infrastructure and other social factors needs to be taken into account. Moreover, the construction of licensed projects must be closely examined and inspected to ensure there is no violation," he said.

"Many local residents complained that they were punished right away when they violated construction regulations while a whole illegally constructed building was ignored. I think that authorised agencies at all levels must strictly punish violators as well as closely inspect construction project implementation to minimise violations," a representative of the Ministry of Construction said. — VNS